Two paths, one goal
With bruxism (teeth grinding), those affected often clench and grind at night with great force. Both the grinding splint and botulinum toxin on the chewing muscle can reduce the consequences — but they do so differently: one protects the teeth, the other acts on the muscle.
The direct comparison
An individually fitted splint covers the teeth at night and protects them mechanically from wear. It does not change the muscle force, but is non-invasive and reversible at any time. From CHF 500.
Botulinum toxin relaxes the chewing muscle in a targeted way, so the clenching and grinding force decreases. This relieves teeth and jaw joint and can ease tension and tension headaches. Temporary, a top-up is common.
The splint protects the teeth, the botulinum toxin takes the pressure out of the muscle. Especially with pronounced grinding, the two complement each other well — we discuss this individually.
What fits whom?
- Rather the splint if the focus is on protecting the teeth from wear and you want a non-invasive solution.
- Rather Botulinumtoxin if muscle activity, tension or tension headaches are mainly in the foreground.
- Always consider: the cause. If stress is behind it, that is part of it — a functional analysis (CHF 200) brings clarity.
Our approach in Zurich
We start with an examination of the jaw function and then decide together — splint, botulinum toxin or both. You can find more about the treatment of teeth grinding and about botulinum toxin on the chewing muscle on the treatment pages. How botulinum toxin works with bruxism exactly is explained in the article botulinum toxin on the chewing muscle against teeth grinding.
Cost overview
Botulinum toxin is not officially approved for treatment of the chewing muscle — this is what is known as off-label use. It is only considered when approved therapies such as splint therapy, physiotherapy or stress management do not work sufficiently. Botulinum toxin is a strictly prescription-only medicine; its use requires corresponding further training. Before any treatment we inform you in detail about the benefits, limits and possible side effects.
This article is for general information only and does not replace individual dental advice. Whether and which treatment is right for you is something we determine in a personal consultation based on your individual situation.
